Photo Credit: Cricket Australia
All six Sheffield Shield teams will have the opportunity to play Day/Night first-class cricket this summer following confirmation today that three fixtures will become pink ball matches.
The three matches are:
- November 23-26: South Australia v Western Australia | Adelaide Oval
- November 24-27: Queensland v Victoria | Gabba
- March 15-18: Tasmania v New South Wales | Bellerive Oval
The primary purpose of the schedule change is to create opportunities for domestic cricketers and potential Test players to experience Day/Night conditions at first-class level.
Adelaide Oval and the Gabba were priority options to host Day/Night Sheffield Shield cricket this season given they are the two venues which frequently host Day/Night Test cricket in Australia.
The upcoming NRMA Insurance Border Gavaskar Trophy Day/Night Test will be played at the Adelaide Oval, while the Gabba hosted the second Test between Australia and the West Indies last summer under lights.
The change was finalised following collaboration between Cricket Australia and State High Performance Departments.
Ben Oliver, Executive General Manager of National Teams said:
“We are always exploring opportunities to further enhance the experience for domestic players and best-prepare them for the challenges of international cricket.
“Playing first-class matches at Test venues is important, and so too is exposure to Day/Night conditions which have become a feature of the Australian Test summer over the past decade.
“With that in mind, we felt it was the right time to re-introduce Day/Night Sheffield Shield matches for our next group of international cricketers.
“We thank all stakeholders for their support in making this initiative possible in the current season.”
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Name of Author: Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia (CA), formerly the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), is the governing body for cricket in Australia. Established in 1905 as the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket, CA manages all national teams, including Men’s, Women’s, and Youth sides, as well as other national teams. It oversees the organization of Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is, and coordinates home international fixtures.
